hang-up

1 of 2

noun

: a source of mental or emotional difficulty
broadly : problem

hang up

2 of 2

verb

hung up; hanging up; hangs up

transitive verb

1
a
: to place on a hook or hanger designed for the purpose
hang up your coat
b
: to replace (a telephone receiver) on the cradle so that the connection is broken
2
: to keep delayed, suspended, or held up
3
: to cause to stick or snag immovably
the ship was hung up on a sandbar

intransitive verb

1
: to break a telephone connection
2
: to become stuck or snagged so as to be immovable

Examples of hang-up in a Sentence

Noun low self-esteem is only one of his many hang-ups
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Pennsylvania county makes emergency request to extend voting hours The RNC joined Cambria County, a red county in central Pennsylvania, to ask a judge to extend polling place hours on Tuesday because of long lines caused by ballot processing hang-ups. Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Nov. 2024 He’s just got all these thoughts in his head — a map of his own intrusive images, weird hang-ups, and cultural taboos — and he’s got to get them out. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2024
Verb
Many organizations get hung up on overanalyzing and trying to find the perfect KPIs to measure against. Joseph Longo, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 Longtime ‘Simpsons’ voice actor hangs up her mic Pamela Hayden, who voices Bart Simpson’s friend Milhouse Van Houten, is stepping away from the role after 35 years. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hang-up 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hang-up was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hang-up

Cite this Entry

“Hang-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hang-up. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hang-up

1 of 2 noun
ˈhaŋ-ˌəp
: a source of mental or emotional difficulty

hang up

2 of 2 verb
(ˈ)haŋ-ˈəp
1
a
: to place on a hook or hanger
hang up your coat
b
: to replace a telephone receiver on the cradle so that the connection is broken
also : to end a telephone conversation
2
: to snag or cause to snag so as to be immovable
a boat hung up on rocks
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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